formed by the mouths of the Irrawaddy, and, with the exception of some considerable plains of rice-ground, is covered by a thick and tenacious jungle, intersected by numerous creeks and rivers.[1]” The town of Rangoon is situated on the northern bank of a main branch of that great river, where it makes a short bend from east to west, about 28 miles from the sea. It extends for about 900 yards along the river, and is about 600 or 700 yards wide in its broadest part: at either extremity extend unprotected suburbs, but the centre, or town itself, is defended by an enclosure of palisades, ten or twelve feet high, strengthened internally by embankments of earth, and protected externally on one side by the river, and at the western end by a morass, over which there is a bridge. The palisade encloses the town in the shape of an irregular parallelogram, having one gate in each of three faces, and two in that of the north: at the river gate is a landing place, denominated the King’s Wharf, in which situation the principal battery, of apparently from 12 to 16 guns, was placed, and opposite to which the Liffey anchored about 2 p.m.
This battery was manned and ready to open its fire. “Still,” says Sir Archibald Campbell, “from motives of humanity, the Commodore and myself were unwilling to commence so unequal a contest, thinking the immense superiority on our side, within full view of the shore, would have induced the authorities in the town to make an offer of negociating: their presumption and folly, however, led them to pursue a different course; a feeble, ill -supported, and worse directed fire was opened upon us, which the first few guns from the Liffey effectually silenced, and cleared the battery. I had previously ordered the plan of attack, and now gave directions for two brigades to be in readiness in their boats for landing. His Majesty’s 38th regiment, commanded by Major [Thomas] Evans, above the town ; Major [Robert Henry] Sale, with H.M. 13th light infantry, at the centre, to make a lodgment in the main battery, should he be
- ↑ Snodgrass, 2d edit. p. 20.
